Boom jib assembly



Jan. 30, 1968 J. 1.. GROVE BOOM JIB ASSEMBLY Filed May 11, 1 966 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR JOHN-L GROVE ATTORNEY Jan. 30, 1968 J. L. GROVE 3,366,250

BOOM JIB ASSEMBLY Filed May 11, 1966 Q 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 -INVENTOR JOHN L. GROVE United States Patent 3,365,250 BOOM JIB ASSEMBLY John L. Grove, Greencastle, Pa., assignor to Grove Manufacturing Co., Shady Grove, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed May 11, 1966, Ser. No. 549,202 Claims. (Cl. 21259) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A jib boom assembly for an extensible crane boom having novel connecting means for storing the jib in an inoperative position beneath the boom base section, with the jib having a novel end construction for selective connection with the boom fiy-section, whereby when the jib is connected to the fly-section, the connecting means are actuated to release the jib boom from the stored position upon axial movement of the fly-section and jib, whereby the jib may be pivoted to an operating position on the end of the fiy section. Novel means are also provided for aligning and returning the jib to its stored position beneath the base section.

In crane boom assemblies, particularly those having extensible booms, it is customary to provide the boom with a jib which is adapted to be mounted on the nose of the boom in order to provide an additional length to the boom. The jib is only mounted on the nose of the boom when a particular job requires the length of the boom to be increased, for instance, fifteen feet, beyond the designed length of the boom in the fully extended position. In view of the fact that the majority of the jobs performed by the crane do not require the use of the jib, it is necessary to store the jib in a suitable place until needed.

Heretofore, these jib sections have been stored on separate boom trucks or mounted in an inoperative position on the crane boom, and when needed, the jib in manually removed from either the boom truck or from the stored position on the crane boom and then connected to an operative position on the crane boom. When the jib is no longer needed, the operation is reversed wherein the boom is manually removed from the crane boom and placed in its stored position.

The manual handling of boom jibs is both time-consuming and expensive, not only in the outlay of money when expensive separate boom trucks are employed, but also in lost man hours required to handle the jib.

In order to overcome the costly and time-consuming operation of manually handling boom jibs, the boom jib assembly of the present invention has been devised which comprises, essentially, a jib having one end adapted to be freely pivoted on the nose of an extensible boom and being adapted to be secured in an inoperative, stored position underneath the boom. Coupling means are operatively connected between the boom and the jib for releasably holding the jib in the stored position, the coupling means being automatically actuated to release the jib from the stored position by extending the boom nose section outwardly relative to the remaining sections of the boom. The crane hoist cable is employed for pivoting the released jib to its operative position and guy cables are provided between the end of the jib and the boom nose to stabilize the jib in its operative position, the guy cables being carried by the jib when the jib is in its stored position.

To pivot the jib in the opposite direction to its stored position underneath the boom, the hoist cable is fed around a shoe secured to the inner end portion of the boom, and the end of the cable is connected to a hook anchor secured to the boom turntable. By this construction and arrangement, when the hoist cable is taken up on the hoist cable winch, the jib is caused to pivot to a position underneath the boom, whereupon the boom nose is moved inwardly relative to the remaining sections of the boom to thereby actuate the coupling means for holding the jib in its stored position.

The boom is also provided with a guide bar which cooperates with the sheave on the end of the jib when the jib is pivoted into stored position, to thereby align the boom and jib coupling means prior to actuation thereof by retraction of the boom nose.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved boom jib assembly.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved boom jib assembly wherein the jib is adapted to be stored in an inoperative position on the underside of the boom and releasably held thereon by automatically actuated coupling means.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved boom jib assembly wherein automatically actuated coupling means releasably holds the jib in stored position on the underside of the boom, one end of the jib being adapted to be freely pivoted on the boom nose, whereby upon actuation of the coupling means to release the jib from its stored position, the jib swings freely away from the boom.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved crane boom jib assembly having automatically actuated coupling means for releasably holding the jib in stored position on the underside of the boom, and having one end of the jib pivotally connected to the boom nose whereby upon actuation of the coupling means to release the jib from its stored position, the jib swings freely away from the boom, the jib being pivoted to its operative position by means of the crane hoist cable.

Yet still another object of the invention is to provide an improved crane boom jib assembly having a jib pivotally connected to the boom nose and adapted to be pivoted from an operative position to an inoperative stored position on the underside of the boom by means of the crane hoist cable wound around a shoe secured to the inner end portion of the boom, and the end of the cable being secured to a hook anchor carried by the crane turntable, whereby upon actuation of the hoist cable winch, the jib is pivoted to its stored position underneath the boom A further object of the invention is to provide an 1mproved crane boom jib assembly having automatically actuated coupling means for holding the jib in stored position on the underside of the boom the boom having a guide bar which cooperates with the sheave on the end of the jib to align the jib with respect to the boom prlor to actuation of the coupling means.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved jib assembly for extensible booms wherein the jib is adapted to be stored in an inoperative position on the underside of the boom and releasably held thereon by automatically actuated coupling means operatively connected between the boom and the jib, one end of the jib being adapted to be pivotally connected to the boom nose, whereby when the boom nose is moved outwardly relative to the remaining sections of the boom, the coupling means is actuated to release the jib to thereby allow the jib to swing freely from the underside of the boom.

With these and other objects in view, which may be incident to my improvements, the invention consists in the parts and combinations to be hereinafter set forth and claimed, with the understanding that the several necessary elements comprising my invention may be varied in construction, proportions and arrangements,

without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

In order to make my invention more clearly understood, I have shown in the accompanying drawings means for carrying the same into practical effect, without limiting the improvements in their useful application to the particular constructions which, for the purpose of explanation, have been made the subject of illustration.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the jib assembly of the present invention, showing the jib mounted in the stored, inoperative position on the underside of a crane boom;

FIG. 2 is a view taken along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a view taken along line 55 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view showing the end of the jib being pivotally connected to the boom nose preparatory to releasing the jib from the underside of the crane boom;

FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 are schematic views illustrating the operational steps for moving the jib from the stored position underneath the boom to the operative position on the boom nose; and

FIG. 11 is a schematic view showing the jib being pivoted from the operative position to the inoperative, stored position underneath the boom.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1, the jib assembly 1 of the present invention is adapted to be used on a telescopic crane boom of the type disclosed in my US. Patent 3,243,052, dated Mar. 29, 1966, wherein a hydraulically extensible boom assembly 2, including a base section 2a, a midsection 2b and a fly-section 2c, is pivotally mounted as at 3 to a pair of boom supports 4 carried by a turntable 5. The turntable 5 is mounted on a vehicle frame 6 aft of the operators cab 7 which contains the hydraulic control system for the boom. A pair of hydraulic cylinders 8 are pivotally connected between the base section of the boom assembly and turntable as at 9 and 10, respectively.

By this construction and arrangement, the hydraulic cylinders 8 are adapted to pivot the boom asembly in a vertical plane about a horizontal axis to thereby raise and lower the assembly; the turntable 5 is adapted to rotate the assembly through 360 about a vertical axis to thereby slue the assembly in a horizontal plane, and suitable fluid cylinders (not shown) are adapted to extend and retract the mid-sections and fly-sections relative to the base section to thereby vary the length of the boom assembly.

The fiy-section 2c of the boom is provided with a nose assembly 11 formed by a pair of rigid, spaced plate members 11a FIG. 2, having a sheave 12 rotatably mounted thcrebetween for supporting a hoist cable 13. A bushing 14 extends transversely between the plate members and is rigidly connected to the lower end portions thereof for receiving a shaft 15, having beaded end portions 15a and adapted to support the end of the jib assembly when in operative position, to be described more fully hereinafter. Another transversely extending shaft 16 is positioned in proximity to the upper end portion of the plate members for receiving the end of a guy cable when the jib assembly is mounted in operative position, also to be described more fully hereinafter.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the jib comprises a pair of spaced, convergent, longitudinally extending, hollow beams 17, each having a rectangular cross-section. The narrow end of the jib is provided with a sheave assembly 13 for accommodating the hoist cable, and the ends of the beams at the other end of the jib are provided with bifurcations 19, FIG. .1, adapted to receive the ends of the shaft 15. As will be seen in FIG. 7, each of the bifurcated ends Of the beams are adapted to be mounted 4 on shaft 15 by means of a pin 20 extending throgh apertures 19a, FIG. 2 formed in the arms of the bifurcation, the pin being held in position by a suitable spring clip 21 connected to each end of the pin.

A plurality of transversely extending frame members 17a, 17b, 17c, 17d and 17a interconnect the longitudinally extending beams 17 to reinforce the jib to thereby form a rigid structure. The upper surface of frame member 17a is provided with an upwardly projecting lug 22, FIG. -3, having a pair of spaced slots 22a adapted to receive a pair of similarly spaced, depending fingers 23 secured to the underside of the boom base section 2a. Frame member 17d, FIG. 5, is also provided with an upwardly projecting lug 24 having a slot 24a adapted to receive a depending finger 25 secured to the underside of the boom base section 2a, the finger also being provided with a releasable lock pin 26 adapted to be inserted transversely through the end portion of the finger to thereby hold the lug 24 on the finger when the jib is mounted in stored position.

A pair of flexible guy cables 27 are provided for stabilizing the jib when mounted in operative position, wherein one end of each cable is secured to the free end of the jib, in proximity to sheave assembly 18, by means of suitable lock nuts 28, and the opposite end of each cable being provided with a bifurcated connection 29 adapted to be secured to the shaft 16 mounted on the nose assembly.

When the jib assembly is mounted in the stored position, as shown in FIG. 1, the bifurcated connection 29 on each cable is secured to a respective eyelet 30 projecting outwardly from the sides of the beams 17, the bifurcated connections being held on the eyelets by means of the pins 20 which have been removed from the apertures 19a. The medial portion of each cable is adapted to be held against the jib by means of a pair of opposed fingers 31 mounted on the transversely extending frame member 17c, FIG. 4.

In the operation of the jib assembly to move the jib from the stored position, as shown in FIG. I, to the operative position, as shown in FIG. 10, the lock pin 26 is first removed from finger 25 and pins 20 are removed from the eyelets 30 and placed in the apertures 19a to thereby pivotally connect the bifurcated end of the jib to the shaft 15, FIG. 7. After sluing and elevating the boom assembly to a position wherein the assembly extends from the side of the vehicle, the fly-section 20, carrying the nose assembly 11, is extended relative to the stationary base section 201, to thereby pull lugs 22 and 24 Off the free ends of the fingers 23 and 25, respectively, whereby the jib is allowed to swing away from the boom base section 2a, as shown in FIG. 8, it being appreciated by those skilled in the art that the boom is slued and extended a sufficient degree relative to the vehicle and ground, in order to allow the jib to swing freely away from the underside of the boom when released therefrom.

With the jib now hanging freely from the nose assembly 11, the boom assembly is swung to a position extending over the front of the vehicle, as shown in FIG. 9, whereupon the boom is then lowered to allow the jib sheave assembly 18 to engage the ground. With the sheave assembly engaging the ground, the vehicle is then backed up slowly while the boom is simultaneously lowered until the jib reaches a position indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 9. The hoist cable 13 is then rigged through the nose assembly 11 and by taking up on the hoist cable winch to cause the hook assembly 32 to engage the sheave assembly 18, the free end of the jib is raised a sufiicient degree to allow the bifurcated ends 29 of the guy cables 27 to be secured to the shaft 16 carried by the boom nose 11, as shown in FIG. 10.

To facilitate the maneuvering of the jib from the operative position, as shown in FIG. 10, to the stored position, as shown in FIG. 1, a hook anchor 33 is secured to the turntable 5, and an arcuate shoe 34 is mounted on the end of an arm 34a, FIG. 2, rigidly connected to and extending inwardly from the inner wall of the boom base section 2a.

A longitudinally extending guide bar 35, FIG. 6, is rigidly connected to the underside of the base section 2a slightly forward of the hydraulic cylinder pivotal connection 9, the guide bar being adapted to seat within the peripheral groove of the pulley in the sheave assembly 18 to thereby align the lugs 22 and 24 with their respective fingers 23 and 25.

To place the jib assembly in the stored position the sequence of steps, described above, for mounting the jib in operative position, is reversed; however, with the jib hanging freely and the nose assembly being slightly extended outwardly from the base section, as shown in FIG. 11, the hoist cable 13 is looped over the arcuate shot 34 and the end of the cable is secured to the hook anchor 33. The cable is then taken up on the cable hoist winch, thereby causing the jib to pivot about shaft 15 in a direction toward the underside of the boom base section. The hoist cable continues to pull the jib to a position underneath the boom base section until the sheave assembly 18 engages the guide bar 35, FIG. 1, to thereby align the slots in the jib lugs with their respective depending fingers on the boom base section. While tension is maintained in the hoist cable, the nose assembly is retracted, allowing the jib lugs to slide on the fingers to thereby secure the jib assembly to the underside of the boom base section. The lock pin 26 is then inserted and the guy cables 27 are then mounted in stored position on the jib, as described herein- HlDOVE.

From the above description it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that a novel jib assembly has been devised wherein the lugs on the jib and the fingers on the boom form a coupling means for releasably holding the jib in stored position on the underside of the boom bas section, and by extending the boom fly-section relative to the boom base section the coupling means is automatically actuated to release the jib from the boom, and by retracting the boom fly-section with respect to the base section the coupling means is actuated to hold the jib on the underside of the boom. By the construction and arrangement of the coupling means it is readily apparent that the amount of manual handling of the jib is greatly reduced, whereby the jib may be quickly and easily maneuvered from the stored to operative position, and back again to the stored position, thereby providing a more economical operation than heretofore experienced. With the construction according to the invention, it is also possible for the operator alone, without any assistance, where the situation requires it, to swing and extend the jib into its operating b 0 position within minutes, and return it to its stored position in its hangar mounts on the underside of the boom.

While the invention has been shown and described in a preferred embodiment, it is realized that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is to be understood that no limitations upon the invention are intended other than those imposed by the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows:

1. A 'boom jib assembly of the character described, comprising, a boom of the extensible type including a base section and a fly-section, a jib connectible to said fiy-section, coupling means connected between said boom base section and said jib for releasably mounting said jib in stored position on said base section, and means operatively connected to extend and retract said fly-section relative to said base section and axially move said jib for actuating said coupling means, whereby when the coupling means is actuated in one direction, the jib is released from the stored position on the base section, and when the coupling means is actuated in the opposite direction the jib is locked in stored position on the base section.

2. A boom jib assembly according to claim 1, wherein the jib is releasably mounted in stored position on the underside of the base section, a nose assembly connected to said fly-section, means pivotally connecting one end of the jib to the boom nose assembly, whereby when the jib is moved axially outwardly said coupling means is actuated to release the jib from the stored position and the jib swings freely away from the underside of the base section.

3. A boom jib assembly according to claim 2, wherein stabilizing cable means are carried by the jib while in the stored position, one end of the stabilizing cable means being connected to the end of the jib and the opposite end of the stabilizing cable means being connected to the boom nose assembly when the jib is mounted in operative extended position on the end of the fly-section.

4. A boom jib assembly according to claim 3, wherein said opposite end of the stabilizing cable means is connected to the jib when the jib is mounted in stored position.

5. A boom jib assembly according to claim 3, including cable engaging means connected to the jib intermediate the ends thereof for holding the medial portion of said stabilizing cable means against the jib when the jib is in the stored position.

6. A boom jib assembly according to claim 2, wherein the means for pivotally connecting said one end of the jib to the nose assembly comprises, a shaft secured to said nose assembly, said one end of the jib being bifurcated, said shaft movable into and out of engagement with said bifurcated end by said means, the bifurcated end of the jib being inserted on said shaft in the retracted position of said fly-section, and pin means extending through the bifurcated end of the jib for selectively holding the jib on said shaft.

'7. A boom jib assembly according to claim 2, wherein the boom jib assembly includes a hoist cable winch, and hoist cable means rigged on said boom and said jib, whereby when the jib is released from stored position, the jib is pivoted to operative position on the end of the flysection by taking up on the hoist cable winch.

8. A boom jib assembly according to claim 7, wherein means are operatively connected to said boom to facilitate returning the jib to its stored position on the underside of said base section, said means including an arcuate shoe over which the hoist cable is looped, and a hook anchor receiving the end of the hoist cable, whereby when the hoist cable is taken up on the win-ch the jib is pivoted about the boom nose assembly in a direction toward the underside of the base section.

9. A boom jib assembly according to claim 8, in which sheave means are mounted on the free end of the jib, and guide bar means are secured to the underside of the base section, whereby when the jib is pulled to the stored position underneath the base section, the sheave means engages the guide bar member to thereby align the coupling means between the boom and the jib prior to actuation thereof for holding the jib in the stored position.

10. A boom jib assembly according to claim 2, in which said coupling means comprises, lug means secured to the jib and finger means secured to the base section of the boom, the finger means being inserted within said lug means when the jib is in the stored position, whereby when the fly-section and associated nose section are extended relative to the base assembly the lug means slide outwardly from the finger means to thereby release the jib from the stored position; the finger means being inserted into the lug means to hold the jib in stored position by retracting the fly-section relative to the base section.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,975,910 3/1961 Conrad 2l2144 3,125,227 3/1964 Kauffrnan et al 2l2--144 3,246,769 4/1966 Noll et al. 212'144 ANDRES H. NELSEN, Primary Examiner. 

